University of Miami students and Hurricanes fans are scrambling to secure tickets for the team’s National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19, but soaring prices are putting attendance out of reach for many.
Ticket prices leave Hurricanes fans stunned
Fans browsing resale sites were shocked by the cost. CBS News Miami found ticket prices on Ticketmaster starting at around $3,100 as of Friday afternoon.
“What did pre-sell websites say, $3,000 to go to the game?” asked Kurt Derrickson, a Hurricanes fan from Key Largo.
The sticker shock has left some longtime supporters questioning whether they’ll be able to attend in person.
“The way ticket prices are, I don’t know how many fans will be able to get into the game,” said Dan Gautier, a UM fan. “It’s kind of crazy.”
UM students hope for limited free ticket access
On campus, students were well aware of the high demand, and the high cost, but many said missing the championship isn’t an option.
“I was just talking about getting tickets,” said Calea Jackson, a UM student-athlete on the track and field team. “We were like, we all have to go. We have to be there. It’s not a question.”
Freshman Annabella Dickson acknowledged the price tag is daunting but said students are holding out hope for discounted or free access.
“It definitely sucks,” Dickson said. “But we get kind of lotto tickets all throughout the semester.”
Students said they are counting on limited student ticket releases, which typically sell out quickly.
“Students usually get free tickets,” Jackson said. “So, we’re hoping that when they do tell us we can get it, we’re all on it. We’ve got our phones loaded. We could click it as fast as we can because it’s limited.”
Some fans, priced out of the stadium, are already making alternate plans.
“I’ll probably watch it on my big screen at home with some other friends and UM fans,” Gautier said.
Whether inside Hard Rock Stadium or cheering from afar, Hurricanes supporters say they’ll be backing their team on college football’s biggest stage.
“I don’t care who it is that UM plays for the national championship,” Derrickson said. “We’re going to win.”
